On Jan. 17, 1986 — 40 years ago today — Duluth Mayor John Fedo issued a proclamation declaring Engelbert Hattenberger an honorary citizen of Duluth, “with all the rights and privileges appertaining thereto, as recognition of the high regard and esteem in which this distinguished personage is held by the Citizens of Duluth.”

Hattenberger was a 65-year-old Austrian ice sculptor who was in the city for about two weeks to create art on the Duluth Civic Center plaza during the Winter Sport Festival. It was the first in a four-year stretch of ice-carving trips to Duluth for Hattenberger.

On the 1986 trip he was accompanied by his son Johannes, who helped create the sculptures. The photos in this post were supplied by Johannes’ son, Christian Hattenberger, who shared them after seeing a Mystery Photo post on Perfect Duluth Day in 2017 that showed a sculpture from 1988.

Engelbert Hattenberger began doing ice sculptures in his hometown of Lienz, Austria. In 1980 he started crafting works outside Telemark Lodge in Bayfield County near Cable, Wisconsin, for the American Birkebeiner ski marathon. He died in 2009 in East Tirol, Austria.

Below are photos from the 1986 carvings in Duluth, which included the corporate seal of Duluth, skiers, skaters, a musher and a hockey player.

And at the conclusion of the post is a video slideshow featuring more of Hattenberger’s work, including scenes from Telemark Lodge and the Duluth Civic Center.

Video below: Fifty Years of Ice Sculptures from Austria and America